Nothing Stopping YouWhat You Left Behind
by Cokkii
Summary: Song fic. Steph had enough and went on a little vacation. She comes back and explains to the men in her life why she left.


**Nothing Stopping You and What You Left Behind**

_I must look just like a fool here_

_in the middle of the road _

_standing there in your rearview _

_and getting soaked to the bone_

I felt the tears pouring down my cheeks, a cool contrast to my hot face. It has been four months since I rushed away in a storm. I had finally had enough of the annoying life I had in Trenton and took a vacation. I had had a fight with both Morelli and Ranger this last time and it pushed me over the edge.

_this land is flat as it is mean _

_a man can see for a hundred miles_

_So I'm still praying I might see_

_the glow of a brake light. _

I was sitting in my old apartment, having just got back from Seattle when I was stupid enough and answered the door. Much to my surprise it was Dillon, my super. "Hey Dillon. Long time no see." I invited him in for a beer like old times and he handed me the videotape.

_But your wheels just turn, _

_down the road ahead_

_If it hurts at all _

_you aint showed it yet_

_I keep a lookin' for _

_the slightest sign that you might miss _

_what you left behind _

_I know there's nothing stopping you now_

_but I'd settle for a slowdown._

We had said our good-byes and promised to hangout more often and he left. I put the tape in the machine and was stunned to see a black screen with a little subtitle in the corner. As the tape continued a music video replaced the black. I was so numb by the time I finished it I had to watch it a second time to hear the words.

_I held on longer then I should_

_Leaving you might change your mind_

_those bright lights of Hollywood _

_would fade in time. _

After I had watched it the second time I noticed that there was more on the tape besides the video. It took me a moment to recognize it as RangeMan and the police department. Just the corridors, enough to let me know who had organized the tape.

_But your wheels just turn_

_down the road ahead_

_If it hurts at all _

_you aint showed it yet _

_I keep a lookin' for_

_the slightest sign _

_that you might miss _

_what you left behind _

_I know there's nothing stopping you now _

_but I'd settle for a slowdown._

I thought to myself for a moment before I made my way down stairs to Dillon's apartment. When he opened the door I could tell he was surprised. "Hey Steph."

"Hey, Dillon. Sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" He thought about it for a moment.

"Yeah, sure."

_But your wheels just turn _

_down the road ahead _

_if it hurts at all _

_you aint showed it yet _

_your just a tiny dot on that horizon line come on tap those brakes _

_baby just one time _

_I know there's nothing stopping you now_

_I'm not asking you to turn back around _

When he had just gotten to his office when his cell phone rang. "Yo."

"Uh, Mr. Mañoso? It's Dillon. I think you and Mr. Morelli get down here." Ranger stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" Dillon was silent. "What happened?" He said in a 'tell me or regret it' tone.

"Steph had invited me up for pizza but when I got to her apartment the door was open so I went in. But…the whole apartment's a mess. Things are all over. And…and I can't…can't find Steph."

He was already rushing out of the building. Tank caught up with him and matched his stride. He also got in the SUV with him. "On my way."

"What's up man?" Tank asked.

"We need to get to Steph's apartment. Call Morelli." Tank nodded and did as he was told. He knew about the tape and was just as worried, if not more, about what could have happened. There were too many possibilities.

When they pulled into the lot they saw Morelli getting out of his jeep. All three of the made there way in and up together. When they got to the apartment Dillon was just inside the door. "I haven't touched anything." He said. The men nodded and Tank went in to secure the area.

Ranger and Morelli were just about to question Dillon when Tank called to them from the living room. "You better come see this." In the living room they all found the TV still on. On the screen were flashing pictures of Steph from the newspaper, Internet, and all around town after all of her famous explosions and kidnappings. After all of those had passed the screen started to flip through pictures of Steph back in Seattle.

When the screen went black Morelli replayed the tape. When he reset the tape he noticed the sound was on mute. When he turned it back on they heard a familiar song filter through the speakers. When the song and video had ended once again they still had nothing.

They only realized they weren't alone until it was too late. "Turn around slowly." Dillon said. "And keep you hands where I can see them. If you're lucky and cooperate you might see her again."

They complied. Already plans running through their heads on how to get out of it. Dillon approached them and stunned them one by one. The last to go was Ranger. "You know, isn't ironic that you're the ones that need the saving now?"

_I'd settle for a slowdown_

They awoke to a pounding headache and motion. It took them all a second to realize it was someone shaking them. When they all had popped open their eyes they gaped. "Steph?"

She smiled.

_come on just slow down _

"Hey guys."

"You're okay? What about the apartment? Dillon?" Her smile widened.

"Do you get it now?"

_I'd settle for a slow down._

Song by Dirks Bently, Settle for a Slowdown. Awesome song. -Cokkii 


End file.
